People in need of protection

12.07.12 -
That is where the passion and commitment of human rights defenders lies. They safeguard people of certain races or ethnicities, women, sexual
minorities—all of whom have faced violations of their rights in one form or another.

The anti-choice movement is aggressive and relentless in its efforts across the globe to strip women of their reproductive rights and, therefore, their
human rights. With increasing frequency, extremists are posing a significant challenge to human rights defenders by trying, and in some cases succeeding,
to define a fertilized egg as a person, with the same rights as the woman who carries it.

Personhood represents perhaps the most extreme attempt to undercut and eliminate reproductive rights. More and more, human rights defenders have had to
train their sights on beating back these overarching attacks before they violate the rights of women and, in many cases, threaten their lives and health.

Poland has vague laws on abortion, and the Catholic Church hierarchy exerts great influence over how
they are interpreted. A culture of intolerance persists that consistently leads to a woman's rights being superseded by that of a fetus. Women are
routinely denied abortions even when they are legally entitled to one, earning Poland multiple condemnations from human rights bodies.

The consequences of personhood could not be clearer: Women die when the rights of a fertilized egg take precedence over their life and health.

The Center hopes its new resources, coupled with the tireless efforts of human rights defenders worldwide, will help thwart future personhood efforts and
ensure that laws prioritize women's reproductive rights.